Graduating Student-Athlete Profile: Jaden Gillette

5/16/2022 4:14:00 PM

Leading up to Daemen University's commencement ceremonies this weekend, daemenwildcats.com is profiling several student-athletes who have completed their academic coursework and/or athletic eligibility.

Jaden Gillette has been a four-year member of the Daemen men's volleyball program. During his career, he appeared in 50 matches and 166 sets as a defensive specialist, totaling 215 digs in that time. Gillette was a member of the program's inaugural recruiting class and was one of nine players on the 2019 team roster, competing in the first season of program history. Prior to his sophomore season, he was named to the Erik Shoji Award Watch List, naming him one of the top defensive players in the country. After missing his junior season with an injury, Gillette returned to the lineup this year and helped the Wildcats to a 16-6 record.

JG: Bachelor's in Natural Science, en route to a Doctorate of Physical Therapy.
JG: My favorite memories are of the matches we played against high-level, Division I opponents, such as UCLA, Pepperdine, and Loyola Chicago. My overall favorite memory was from this season when we beat Princeton at their place in five sets.
JG: When I first arrived, I didn’t know what to expect. Not only has the institution itself grown and developed, it has allowed me to develop as a student, athlete, and person.
JG: Although I’ll be continuing on at Daemen in the Physical Therapy program, I will surely miss my teammates, my coaches, and playing volleyball at the collegiate level.

JG: The accomplishment I’m most proud of is that I’ve been fortunate enough to be selected as a teaching assistant in the graduate anatomy lab for the 2022-23 school year.
JG: My girlfriend and my coach. My girlfriend, who previously was a student-athlete at Daemen, demonstrated what it meant to work hard in the classroom as well as on the court, and her leading by example has allowed me to develop through the years. My coach not only strives to make us better volleyball players, but he prioritizes our growth as people even more, and he has led by example in setting the perfect foundation for this program’s culture to facilitate individual and team development.
JG: Continuing on into the next year of PT school.
JG: Fall in love with the process and the results will come.

Daemen University features the premier NCAA Division II athletics program in the Buffalo-Niagara region, sponsoring 18 intercollegiate teams. For the latest information on Daemen Athletics, follow the Wildcats via social media on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, or sign up to receive customizable news alerts, e-mail newsletters and weekly schedule alerts.

Follow the Daemen University men's volleyball program on Twitter and Instagram at @DaemenMVB.

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